Naruto Rewrite 2: In the White Snake's Coil

by ArachCobra

The Chunin Exam, a grueling test for genin seeking to advance, looms ever closer. But Team Kakashi has much more to worry about. Someone is pulling the strings from behind the scene, manipulating event and setting people up against each other. Soon, all of Konoha feels the coil tighten around them, as everyone seeks to avert what might be an oncoming disaster.

10. Heaven and Earth

Chapter 10: Heaven and Earth

The aftermath had mostly been a silent one while aid was administered. Ino and Shikamaru quickly made sure to check up on Sakura and Rock Lee, who had taken the brunt of the hits, before making sure Choji was okay.

All the while, Sasuke sat still in the clearing, staring out into space. His gaze was blank, as if not even really perceiving anything.

And not far from him sat Naruto, wondering what he could do to help his team-mates.

"Well, that's everyone patched up," Ino remarked. "As well as we can do here, at any rate. Good job bringing all that medicine stuff, Shikamaru."

He shrugged. "Eh, it's not like it was hard to get with my family."

"Well then, if you're all done," Neji, who had been standing at the edge of the clearing with a stern expression, said. "Then we're leaving. Rock Lee, we'll talk later."

The ninja in question sighed.

"And as for the rest of you, I have enough respect to not take your newly acquired scroll. But do not forget that we are not allied in this fight." Then he turned and left.

"Hey, Shikamaru, got anything for getting that stick out of his ass?" Tenten quietly asked.

He shook his head with with a wry smile. "Even our clan's medicine has its limits."

"Figured. Anyway, come on Lee. I for one think you did really great."

"I know. But I suppose that Neji is not incorrect in that we are supposed to be rivals," the jumpsuit-clad shinobi said. "Still, I am at peace with my decisions." He turned to the others and bowed. "Please, all of you, take care and let us meet each other again in the next round." Then he walked off with his companion.

"We should probably get going too," Shikamaru added. "We're just going to be attracting attention standing here. It would be such a drag to fight a second team of weirdos."

"True. But... What about...?" Ino began, indicating Sasuke with a jerk of her head.

"I have no idea what that thing is," he admitted. "I don't think it's something we can fix."

"I was afraid you'd say that," the blonde sighed. She turned to Sakura and asked: "Are you going to be okay?"

She chuckled hollowly. "As well as I can be, all things considered."

"Alright, then... We'll be off. Choji, you ready?"

The large ninja smiled. "As always. We still have a scroll to find."

"Yeah. Can't wait to run into the next trio of murderous ninjas," Shikamaru dryly commented, as the three left. "Between the Sound and the Sand, this whole thing has become such a bother."

"Oh, quit whining," Ino said, as they vanished into the greenery.

Sakura paused, staring after them.

"We're lucky," Naruto commented.

"Huh?"

"That we've got such good... Friends," he stated, smiling.

She paused, then found herself smiling back. "You're right. We really are."

"So, what do we do now?"

She paused. "We need to get out," she stated. "This has been too much for all of us. I don't know what he did to Sasuke and you, but it needs proper attention. We have a scroll, so we can barter if we run into anyone. We just need to head for the..."

"Absolutely not," came Sasuke's voice, causing the two to jump slightly. He turned his head to glare at them. "We'll see this through."

"Sasuke, I know you want to get stronger," Sakura began. "But we'll get..."

"Killed?" he asked, as he stood up. "That's always gonna be a risk. We still have a shot. What kind of ninja would we be if we backed down anytime things got tough? It's..." He paused, as if not entirely willing to admit the next part. "It's like that idiot said. We can't let fear control us."

The pink-haired ninja turned to Naruto, hoping for support, hoping he would say something like that wasn't what he had meant.

But the jinchuuriki slowly rubbed his chin, clearly deep in thought.

"Naruto?" she asked.

"Sorry, I was... I was just thinking of Zabuza," he replied, getting up with a bit of effort. "That was... That was really dangerous. And you know he would have killed us."

"But that was an A-rank mission," she protested.

"I know. But... We never know what's going to happen," he continued. "Zabuza and his team. That creepy spider Jako. That whole mess with the dead guy. And... It's probably gonna happen again. I think... I think Sasuke is right. If we still have a shot, then... We should at least try."

"I think this goes beyond what is expected of us."

"Yeah, but..." He laced his fingers behind his head. "Did I ever tell you guys how I became a ninja?"

"Hmm... I remember it being kind of the talk of the town," Sakura remarked. "One of the Academy teachers tried to steal a valuable scroll."

"Mizuki," Sasuke noted. "And that scroll wasn't just valuable. It was full of our village's secrets. It would have been devastating had he managed to escape with it."

"Yeah. And you helped stop him, right?" Sakura said. "At least, that's what I heard. Some people even think it was kind of unfair of Iruka to let you pass based on it."

"I bet they did," Naruto muttered. "But, ehm, there's more to it than that. Mizuki... Well, he tricked me. Said that if I stole the scroll and learnt a technique from it, I'd become a ninja. So, ehm, I did." He coughed. "And that's why I can clone myself."

Sasuke stared. "You hadn't even managed the bare minimum to qualify as a ninja, yet you stole one of our most top secret documents and mastered one of its techniques," he summarized incredulously.

"Yep."

"Unbelievable," he said, throwing his arms in the air. "What does it say about how we run things that you can penetrate our town's highest defences? I sure hope the Hokage improved security afterwards."

"I mean, maybe," Naruto replied with a shrug. "Anyway, Iruka found me first. Knew where I'd hide. And Mizuki was right after. Turns out, he wanted me to take the fall for him. Figured... Nobody would really miss me."

Sakura blinked. "That's... That's awful."

"Yeah. Iruka risked himself to protect me. And when it looked like Mizuki was about to kill him, I... I used the technique."

"And even a skilled ninja like Mizuki would be hard pressed to deal with thirty of you at once," Sasuke guessed.

"So, what I'm saying is, I wasn't even a ninja yet. And that happened," the blond continued. "So, it's just like with that question Ibiki posed. Ninjas, we, well, we never know what we'll be up against. But if we can, we should always try to finish the mission. And right now, that mission is to get another scroll and get to the tower."

Sakura paused, looking from one of her teammates to the other. Then she sighed and said: "I guess you're right. I'm just really worried, because... We don't know what that creep did to you."

Sasuke hesitantly touched the cold mark on his neck. "True," he admitted. "But it's just one more burden to carry."

Naruto rubbed his stomach. "Ugh, you have a way to make things sound so dreary." Suddenly, a loud rumble erupted from his guts. "Though I don't think that has anything to do with snake guy," he continued. "How about we find some breakfast?"

"I have more ration balls," Sakura offered.

"Eh, sure. It's no ramen though," he remarked, as he took the ball. "But let's try to find something more exiting for dinner."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, as the three headed back into the forest.

...

Hinata stared patiently up into the sky, as white clouds drifted overhead. The three of them had paused in a small clearing, taking a brief break as Yatagarasu scouted ahead.

Kiba, who sat leaning against a tree, grinned as he patted the backpack next to him.

"I cannot help but notice you keep rubbing that thing," Shino remarked, observing. "Perhaps the very nature of your clan gives you a predilection for petting things?"

"Nah, I'm just really impressed. First day, and we got the scrolls we needed," he replied. "Now we just need to get to the tower. We might even be the first Konoha ninja there."

"If we can hold onto them," the other ninja remarked.

Akamaru, who was lying next to his partner, looked up: "You don't think we can handle the other teams?"

"We can handle some of the other teams," Shino remarked. "Others, I do not fancy our chances against."

"Ah, she's back," Hinata remarked.

The black bird descended, landing on the white-eyed ninja's shoulder. "I saw someone up ahead," she reported. "I think six in total, moving towards each other."

"Interesting," Kiba remarked, standing up. "Who were they?"

"Not sure. Thicket was too thick and I didn't want to get too close," the bird replied.

The slightly canine ninja grinned. "Perfect."

"Perfect?" Shino echoed.

"Yeah. They're probably about to fight. I say we wait until they've beaten the snot out of each other, then go in and swipe both their scrolls."

"But..." Hinata began, holding her hand to her chin. "We already have the scrolls we need."

"Yeah, but you heard Shino. We might run into some toughies out there," he replied. "With more scrolls, we can bargain without losing our win."

Shino was quiet for a moment. "There is logic in what he says," he finally remarked. "But we don't know who Yatagarasu saw. I say we be careful, lest we jump right into a hornet's nest."

"Yeah, yeah. We're ninja. That's what we do," Kiba replied. "Let's move out."

The five of them carefully made their way through the thick undergrowth.

Akamaru, riding his partner's head, sniffed the air. "I can smell them. And... Something else..." He sniffed harder.

"Something else?" Kiba questioned.

"Yeah. Blood. Lots of it."

"Maybe they've already started fighting," Hinata suggested.

"In that case, they must be superb ninjas," Shino offered. "Because we're not hearing anything."

"They should be right up there, by my estimate," Yatagarasu remarked.

"Hey, stop right there," someone up ahead called.

"Must have spotted each other now," Kiba commented. "Perfect time to move up. They're going to be too focused on each other."

Taking position behind a couple of bushes, they carefully moved the branches to spot the other ninjas.

The sight caused Kiba's eyes to widen. "Oh, fucking fantastic," he whispered. "It's that guy."

Gaara stood flanked by Kankuro and Temari.

And in front of them was another team of ninjas. Each of them wore broad straw hats and were dressed in grey clothes, all of them carrying a large black umbrella on their back.

Hinata focused on the insignias on their hats. Four vertical lines. "Amegakure genin," she whispered to the others.

"Look, buddy," Kankuro began, arms folded. "Trust me, you don't want to start this fight. Just hand over whatever scroll you have and make this easy on yourself."

"Think we're scared of you?" the frontman for the other team asked. "Don't try to sound tough. If you were all that, we'd have heard of you by now."

"You really wouldn't," the black-clad ninja sighed. "This is going to get messy."

"Hey, Gaara," Temari began. "How about you let us handle these guys? They don't look that tough and..."

"We'll handle them," Gaara stated, quietly but with finality.

Kankuro eyed the redhead then turned his attention towards the other team. "Last chance to back out."

"You must not feel confident in your friend if you're trying this hard," the frontman remarked with a cocky smirk.

"No, I just don't like seeing what happens next."

Gaara stepped forward, eyes locked on the other ninja.

The Amegakure genin approached and with one fluid motion launched a fan of needles towards the redhead.

Gaara made no attempt to dodge. Instead, a small burst of sand snaked out of the gourd on his back, slapping the projectiles aside, before returning to the container.

"He's got some sort of defensive jutsu," one of the other Amegakure ninjas commented. "Do you need us to...?"

"Not yet. Let's see how good it really is," the frontman said and charged, pulling his umbrella as he did. He grabbed it with both hands, swinging it towards Gaara's side.

There was a loud thunk of impact.

Garra didn't move, nor did he even look at the attack, his gaze focused on the ninja himself. A large mass of sand hung in the air, having intercepted the blow and halted it completely. "Is that the best you can do? You're pathetic," the redhead noted.

The umbrella wielder snarled and continued his assault, trying to slam and jab at Gaara from different angles. Yet no matter how fast or hard he attacked, the sand just moved to intercept. Gaara didn't even look like he put any effort into it, just standing and watching as the other ninja fruitlessly assault him over and over again.

The umbrella wielder stumbled back, breathing heavily.

"Is that all?" Gaara inquired. "How disappointing." His head lowered slightly, as he glared at the other ninja. "Then we have no reason to keep you alive any longer."

The Amegakure ninja cursed, as he took a step back.

"Uhm, should we...?" one of his teammates nervously began.

"OF COURSE YOU SHOULD!" the frontman yelled. "Do it now!" He held onto his umbrella, focusing his chakra into it before hurling it into the air. His two teammates mirrored his actions, throwing their own umbrellas. They opened up and hung over Gaara, lightly spinning.

He did not spare them so much as a glance.

"A team jutsu," Temari remarked. "Interesting."

"Ain't gonna save the poor bastards," Kankuro commented.

Focusing his energy on the umbrellas, the frontman triggered the attack. The umbrellas spun rapidly, unleashing their hidden payload of hundreds upon hundreds of needles, which proceeded to rain down upon Gaara.

And not a single one of them connected, each one smacked out of the air by the sand swirling around the redhead, who did not even pay any attention to the assault. Instead, he raised his hand and made a slight gesture.

The frontman felt his feet sink into the ground. He looked down in surprise, as the very earth shifted. "What the...?"

Gaara raised his open palm.

The earth and dust rose, quickly encasing the struggling ninja. "What is this?! Get it off! GET OFF!" he called with rising panic, as he tried unsuccessfully to wriggle free. It slithered around him, slowly enveloping him in a thick cocoon, muffling his voice.

Gaara paused briefly, then clenched his hand.

The dirt compacted with an uncomfortable wet crunch, a dark liquid pressed out of its sides in grotesque splashes that stained the earth with gore, as the cocoon itself collapsed into a pile of blood-soaked mud.

Hinata held her hands over her mouth to mask her breathing, shivering and with wide eyes.

Yatagarasu leaned down to their partner's ear. "Hey, stay calm," she tried. "Don't panic now."

One of the remaining Amegakure ninjas stared as the remains of their comrade. "What..." he shakily began. "What did you...?"

"The sand crushed his body to liquid," Gaara explained dispassionately. "It's painless." A strange half-smirk grew on his face, one eye twitching. "But very colourful. And we do like the sound."

The other remaining ninja reached into his backpack. "We surrender," he pleaded, putting their scroll on the ground. "Just take our scroll."

"No."

The ninja blinked. "N-No?"

"We haven't had enough," Gaara replied raising both hands.

Suddenly, the two ninjas found the earth rising to engulf them as well. "NO, PLEASE!" one of them screamed. "WE SURRENDER! WE SURRENDER! WE..." The rest of his words were cut off by the dust enveloping his head.

"Gaara, wait!" Temari called. "We have the scroll. You don't have to..."

The sound of the two humans being instantly liquefied by compression echoed through the woods.

Kankuro sighed, before muttering: "Knew it."

Kiba blinked. "Fuck," he whispered. He looked to the others. "We need to go. Now. If that nutjob sees us, he's probably gonna try to juice us too."

"I concur," Shino remarked with a nod.

The group turned to carefully retrace their steps.

Gaara picked up the scroll the ninja had left, turning it to study its seal.

"Well, that's a heaven scroll," Kankuro remarked. "So we're done here. We can just..."

"No," Gaara stated, quietly but loud enough for all to hear. He turned his gaze to the bushes. "There are others."

Kiba and company froze, almost feeling the piercing glare of the sand ninja falling upon them. "Shit," he whispered. "How did he...?" He watched his comrades, praying no one would panic, praying that Gaara hadn't actually noticed them.

"That's enough," Kankuro said in a sterner tone, stepping closer to the redhead. "I don't care if there are others. We got what we needed." He paused. "Gaara, let's focus on the mission."

"No," came the response, as he slowly opened his hand. "We haven't had enough yet."

Kankuro growled and stepped up to him, grabbing his shirt with both hands. Pulling him closer, forcing him to meet his eyes, he loudly stated: "I'm the team captain. We're going to the tower now and that's final! Understood?!" Gaara glared at him. His fingers twitched. "LET GAARA HAVE CONTROL AGAIN!" Kankuro yelled. "OR SO HELP ME, I'LL HAVE THE KAZEKAGE LOCK YOU UP AGAIN!"

There was a pause, tension hanging thick in the air.

Then Gaara's head dropped.

Kankuro waited, then quietly asked: "Gaara?"

The redhead reached up and pushed the black-clad ninja away. Then, without a word, he turned around and began trudging towards the tower.

Kankuro suddenly realised he was holding his breath and exhaled. "For a moment there I thought he was gonna kill me," he admitted.

"He wouldn't do that. We're family," Temari tried, though her anxious tone revealed that she only partially believed that to be true.

"I don't know. I just..." He groaned and began walking himself. "What is the Kazekage thinking with this plan? We can barely keep him in line."

In the bushes, the hidden ninjas waited with baited breaths, until the sound of the other ninjas had faded.

"Oh, thank the Sage," Kiba exhaled, as he sat down on the ground. "Akamaru, you okay up there?"

The dog was silent for a bit. "I might have peed a little," he admitted in a forlorn tone.

"That's okay. Hinata, how are you holding up?"

The white-eyed girl breathed heavily. "He just..." she managed. "They surrendered and... He just killed them."

"Yeah. That was messed up," Yatagarasu said.

"As I said," Shino began. "Some of the other teams."

"Yes, yes, I get it," Kiba groaned.

...

Iruka tapped his foot, looking across the small office. He had been stationed here for little over a day, ever since the second test had started. The room was furnished with a few things, such as a bed, desk and screen connected to a few cameras through the building.

It was a rather cosy job he'd been given. He and a few others were lodged in the central tower for the duration of the second exam, to handle the arrival of the teams. He had personally asked to be there, to hopefully greet Naruto's team once they got through.

But now, he had company. During the night, two ANBU ninja had shown up in full battle gear, armoured and armed to the teeth. Each wore a mask and had given their current identities as Atsunao and Kuumi.

Iruka imagined those weren't their real names. ANBU were secretive like that. And they had brought disturbing news that apparently, Anko had claimed the infamous Orochimaru had infiltrated the exam. And that the Hokage had ordered a full investigation into the matter.

Yet the exam was still ongoing. The thought that his students were running around out there with the likes of him on the loose made a knot of his stomach. He really hoped Anko was wrong.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Iruka said, as the two ANBU ninja snapped to attention.

"Anko's here," the female ninja by the door said, letting said shinobi in,

Iruka stared in shock at the blood. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just got stabbed a bit and had to drag my sorry ass through miles of hostile terrain while trying to avoid all the genin running around out there," she replied with a hint of venom, as she collapsed into a chair. "What kind of stupid question is that?"

"Sorry. Kachiko, alert the medics, would you?"

"On it," the female ninja said and closed the door.

"So," the ANBU ninja identified as Kuumi began. "What happened?"

"I was right. It's Orochimaru," she replied. "And two of his cronies. I was unable to take them down."

"Were you at least able to gather some intel?" the other ANBU ninja asked.

"Of course. He loves to hear himself talk. Was jabbering to his friends when I found him," she explained. "Mind you, I didn't spend too much time listening in. I'm sure they'd have picked up my scent if I just hung around. But it seems like he's here for two reasons."

"Two reasons?"

"Yeah. Apparently he's on a mission. But he's also running some sort of experiment on the side. Big surprise there, am I right?" she asked sarcastically. "Here's the part we need to be worried about. The way he was talking, that experiment is already ongoing. And he mentioned Dosu."

"Dosu?" Iruka asked.

"Yeah. And I only remember one Dosu being involved with this exam," Anko noted.

The ANBU shinobi looked at each other. "Otogakure," Atsunao mumbled.

"Yeah. Apparently, he was supposed to handle the next phase of the test. So either he's another of Orochimaru's cronies, or he's manipulating the team," Anko continued. "Maybe he's even deeply involved with that village. You never know with that guy, but I'd advise we start investigating that place." She sighed, leaning her head back. "Oh, good, the adrenaline's wearing off. If it's all the same to you three, I think I'm gonna faint for a little bit."

Iruka turned his attention to the ANBU ninja. "Do we call off the exam?"

"That will be the Hokage's decision," Kuumi noted.

"Of course. It's just..." He paused. "Right. I'll await further instructions."

"Indeed. We'll bring this information to the council. We'll have Anko transported to the hospital for treatment once the medic has taken a look at her. Until then, be ready to note down anything else she remembers," instructed Atsunao.

Iruka nodded. "Understood."

"The medic is on their way," Kachiko said, as she entered again.

"Ah, thank you," Iruka replied. "Uhm, everything okay?"

"Yeah. It's just... I heard one of the other teachers and... Well," she said, as she pressed a button underneath the screen. "See for yourself."

An image appeared, of one of the rooms at the bottom of the tower. Gaara, Kankuro and Temari were all visible, walking around the hall.

"They got through quick," Iruka noted.

Kuumi studied the image. "That's peculiar."

Iruka paused. "What's peculiar?"

"No injuries. No signs of fatigue. Nothing."

"That's what the other teacher said," Kachiko noted. "He's never seen anyone go through a test like this that cleanly. They don't even look like they worked up a sweat."

Iruka rubbed his temples. "What is going on with this exam?" he mumbled, while hoping his own students, especially Naruto, were all still safe.

...

There was a sickening pop. Zaku's eyes widened and he tried to scream in pain, a sound heavily muffled by the cloth in his mouth.

"There, best I can do," Kin remarked, having just re-socketed his shoulder. "It's probably all kinds of torn up. I'd suggest you keep your arms resting."

He glared at her.

"Hey, feel free to go blasting," she said, holding up her hands. "Just don't come crying to me when you wreck your arms." She turned to Dosu, who had been watching the proceedings. "So, mission successful?"

The bandaged ninja looked contemplative. After the three of them had left the site of their previous battle behind, they'd found a spot underneath one of the great trees, surrounded by thick bushes, to recuperate. During this time, Dosu hadn't said a word. "Yes," he finally rasped. "I'd say it was successful. We will report this development."

"And the exam?"

"We were told to secure our spots in the next round, if possible. And it still is, despite our current situation."

"Well, if he's gonna be of any use to us, he needs as much rest as we can get him," Kin pointed out.

"All the more reason to get through this test as soon as possible." He turned around and began walking. "You keep him safe. I'll investigate the area."

As Dosu crept among the undergrowth, his thoughts went back to their orders. Kill Sasuke Uchiha if feasible.

If feasible.

Dosu had at first figured their orders had been worded like that because there was a risk they'd never find the remaining Uchiha scion. But he was beginning to realise now that it was because of exactly what happened. Sasuke had been gifted something quite potent, even if it seemed like he was barely in control of it. Why invest that in someone you were planning to kill? Dosu surmised that the kill order was only to get his team to fight to their fullest capability, to force Sasuke to prove himself.

And yet, things had not gone as intended. It was not Sasuke alone who had fought them off, though certainly he had put the fight to an end. The genin of Konohagakure had banded together.

Was that also part of the plan? Dosu could not imagine that this scenario had been foreseen. Despite this, his team had played their part as bait to lure out Sasuke and force him to use this new power of his. Part of Dosu rankled at being used in such a manner, but he was familiar enough with the ninja world to understand that he had been told what he needed to hear to fulfil the role that was required. A role that still had a part. That was the only reason Dosu could see why they needed to attempt to get into the next round.

A scream cut through the air, interrupting his thoughts. Someone was in trouble. And that meant there was a chance to get a scroll.

He rushed towards the sound, pulling his sleeve from his enhanced arm so that he would be ready to jump in the moment he saw his chance.

There were growls ahead.

Dosu leaned against a tree and slowly slid around it until he could get an overview of the situation.

There was a girl, obviously terrified, her back against another tree. She had red hair and was dressed in drab, brown clothes. Her eyes were framed by a pair of glasses and she wore a headband with a symbol on it, which Dosu recognised as the symbol of the ninja village of Kusagakure.

And in front of her was a very large, very angry bear.

Dosu glanced around. A scenario like this would be perfect to lure out wannabe heroes, but his instincts told him what was going on was real enough. He wondered what the girl had done to earn the bear's ire. Perhaps it had cubs nearby or perhaps it was just hungry enough to make a meal of a genin.

The bear raised its paw.

The girl screamed as she held up her arms in a futile attempt to stop the attack.

Dosu's artificial fist collided with the beast's side.

The bear stumbled. It swung its paw almost drunkenly, striking the bark above the girl, before tumbling sideways into the bushes with a groan. It eyed the newcomer and pushed away, realising the threat he posed.

Dosu stood still, watching as the large animal unsteadily lumber away, before turning his gaze to the girl.

She blinked. "You... Saved me?"

He crouched down. "Do you have a scroll?"

"A scroll? Uhm... Yes."

He reached out. "Hand it over."

"Oh. Of... Of course..." she muttered, reaching into her backpack.

Dosu took the Earth scroll and put it away as she stood back up. "Thank you." He looked around. "Where's your team?"

"My team?" she asked confused.

"Yes. You must have at least two companions. Where are they? Did you agree to split up?"

"Sorta."

He paused. "Sorta?"

"Well... They said I'd be useless in a fight, so I should stay here and not get in the way," she explained, before adding: "They left yesterday."

"What role do you serve on your team?"

"I'm the medic." Her expression fell as she quietly noted: "It's... It's the only thing I'm good for."

"So they left behind their medical specialist, who's quite visible, with their only scroll," Dosu surmised. "I suspect that you're companions are already dead. Ninjas that stupid don't live long."

"Oh."

He paused. "Do you want an escort to the border?"

She looked surprised. "Ehm... Yes."

"Good. Follow me and I'll take you to my team." He paused. "Just don't try to take back your scroll."

"I wont." She followed him as he began walking. "Why are you helping me?"

"Let's just say I have some experience with being left behind for being useless," he muttered. "I took your scroll because that is my mission. That does not mean I can't also help you."

"Th-thank you," she stammered. "Ehm, my name is Karin."

"Dosu."

"Okay." She was quiet for a moment. "Where are you from?"

"Otogakure." He noted the look of concentration on her face. "It's a new village. You may not have heard of it."

"Ah."

"So, you're pretty young for a medical specialist."

"I have healing powers," she explained. "Just like my mother."

"A kekkei genkai I take it."

"Yeah. It's the only reason they keep me around."

Dosu noted the strange expression on her face. He concluded that she probably didn't have a lot of people to talk with in general, which was why she was so willing to unload on a complete stranger. "I do not get the impression your village respects you much."

"They... Respect my healing powers. Sorta," she noted.

Dosu paused. "You mean they take advantage of it."

She was quiet for a while. "Yeah."

"Mind you, to be a ninja is to be taken advantage of," he continued. "That is how the game is played. Still, if you ever tire of your village, Otogakure is always welcoming of new talent."

She didn't respond for a while, something the bandage-clad ninja found telling. "I can't just... Leave," she finally said. "They took us in when... No one else would."

"That is your choice. My companions are right over here." He paused, before adding: "We had an unfortunate encounter recently, so one of my teammates is in a foul mood. Pay him no mind."

...

Time passed over the forest. The sound of battle still occasionally echoed through the woods, but the frequency of such occurrences was steadily lowering. Grey clouds now dotted the skies, one occasionally releasing a light rain, barely felt beneath the dense canopy.

"Hey, I found some berries," Naruto called. "I don't think they're poisonous."

"Let me see," Sakura said as she came over, book in hand. She scrolled through a couple of pages, eyebrows furrowed. "Aha, no, these are not poisonous."

"Then we have dinner. I hope Sasuke has also found something," the blond remarked, rubbing his nose. "Ugh."

"Getting a cold?"

"No, it's just... Ever since fighting that creep, my nose hasn't been working that well."

"You also seem a bit more, well, tired than usual," she noted with concern. "I mean, that might just be the test, but, you know. I worry for you." She paused. "I worry for both of you. I have no idea what Orochimaru did to either of you or what it means."

"Well, we just have to wrap up this test." He rubbed his stomach. "Hopefully on a full stomach."

"I'd offer some more ration balls, but..."

"I know. Gotta save them."

The two returned to their current campsite, where they found Sasuke awaiting them, currently plucking a bird. "Found some mushrooms," he remarked. "And took down this thing."

"Then dinner is secured," Naruto noted with a grin as he sat down. "Then we can focus on the scrolls."

"True. I haven't seen anyone around though," Sasuke noted thoughtfully. "What about you two?"

Sakura shook her head. "No."

"Figures. We should move to a different part of the forest soon. I think we're out of rivals here." He paused. "Sakura, I've been thinking of something."

"Yeah?"

"How aware of your other you are you?"

She blinked. "What?"

"That's what I thought." He folded his arms. "How much of the fight with Orochimaru do you remember?"

"Not much."

"He did something. A jutsu that caused both of us to... Lock up." He grimaced slightly at admitting this. "That's while you were separated from us, Naruto. I couldn't move, but... Sakura saved me."

"I did," she said surprised.

"Yes. And when I spoke with you, or them if you will, they claimed to be another you."

"Another me," she echoed.

"And I've been thinking. Back to the Land of Waves. You froze when one of those thugs was about to attack you." He looked to her. "And you asked us who had yelled at you to wake up."

"Hey, I remember that," Naruto remarked.

The Uchiha scion continued with: "I didn't think much of it at the time, but... With what I saw, I think that was your other self that you heard."

She looked contemplative. "You know, sometimes, I do feel like there's another me. One who's very... Opinionated."

"That's a word for them, yes," Sasuke mumbled.

"Oh, I did think Sakura was acting a little... Different," Naruto remarked. "When I came back. But, you know, I just figured it was because everything was going wrong." He scratched his head. "Man, why've we all got, like, a second person inside us?"

"What do you mean?" Sasuke inquired.

"I mean, I have the fox, Sakura has... Other Sakura and, well, you weren't yourself when, ehm, you know." He tapped his neck.

The Uchiha scion paused. "You're right. I wasn't myself," he muttered. "All three of us, then. That is... Peculiar. Once we're out of here, Sakura, I suggest you look into your family. There might be something there. And I'll get this mark investigated. We might..." He shook his head. "Never mind that for now." He stood up. "The scrolls are what's important. And we're not going to get any sitting around. Let's move out."

...

The sun and the moon crossed the skies again. The group moved through the forest, living off the land as they searched for opponents. Yet the competition seemed to have dried up. And so, under the noon sun, the team found themselves with a twenty-four hour deadline staring them in the face.

Naruto furrowed his brows, as he contemplated things. It didn't feel entirely fair. It wasn't their fault that every other genin team seemed to just have up and vanished. Then again, ninja life wasn't about fairness and perhaps there was a deeper point to...

"Naruto!" Sasuke called from the other side of the stream. "Are you falling asleep?"

"What? No, I was, you know, just thinking," the jinchuuriki replied annoyed.

"Don't. You're not good at it," the Uchiha scion remarked. "Anyway, I strung up the net. Your turn. Do you remember what to do?"

"Of course I do."

"Then get to it."

"Yeah, yeah, who went and made you the boss?" Naruto mumbled, as he walked up to the river's edge, wearing nothing but his underwear. He did the handsigns and focused his chakra. Moments later, several other Narutos popped into existence.

"Looks cold," one of them remarked.

"Well, yeah. It's a stream," the original noted flatly.

"I'm not going in there."

"Oh come on, it looks so refreshing."

"What's got you so chipper?"

"All this wilderness survival is doing wonders for my waistline."

"I'm not even that fond of fish. We should go mushroom hunting instead."

"Why is it," Sasuke began tersely. "That it's always such a circus with you?"

"Hey, don't look at me," the original replied frustratedly. "It's them." He waved his arms in annoyance. "Would you all get into the water already?"

"Who went and made you the boss?"

"I'M THE ORIGINAL! GET IN!"

"Let's do what he says before we all get stressed out."

Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose with a deep sigh, as the Narutos jumped into the water.

The sudden intrusion scared several fish, who swam down the stream to escape the pursuing ninjas.

Only to swim straight into the net Sasuke had set up.

The Uchiha scion then pulled the net up, counting about seven fish. He quickly ended their struggling with a series of quick strikes, as Naruto pulled himself out of the water. Pausing briefly, he addressed his blond companion with: "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just a bit winded," he admitted, sitting down on a rock.

"And you're usually so full of energy."

"Yeah, well, this test is, you know, draining."

Sasuke's mouth became a thin line, as he tied a knot on the net. "Let's hope that's true."

"What do you mean?"

"That ever since Orochimaru, you've been complaining every day about not feeling all that well." He hoisted the fish over his shoulder. "I don't think that's a coincidence."

"Eh, you might be right," he replied, getting up. "Sakura was the only one who got unscathed out of that."

"Relatively speaking," Sasuke muttered, as they headed back to their current campsite.

Here, Sakura had already got a decent fire going. She'd normally find it rather risky, with the smoke signalling to everyone where they were, but at this point, it would actually be helpful for a team to find them. "Seems like we got a good catch;" she remarked, noting the two genin returning.

"So, breakfast secured," Naruto remarked, as he sat down. "What's next?"

"Next, I'll go see if I can find some berries or mushrooms," Sasuke said. "I'll be right back. Sakura, get the fish roasting. And if you have time, check the maps. We need to plan our next move."

"And what should I do?" Naruto asked.

"Try not to set anything on fire," the raven-haired ninja replied, as he walked off.

The blond stuck out his tongue in response.

"You two sometimes," Sakura sighed, as she began gutting the fish. "But he's not wrong. We really need to think about our next move."

The blond paused. "You know, Sakura, I've been thinking."

"Yeah?"

"The last exam... That was all about cheating... Right?"

She paused. "Yes?" she tried slowly.

"What if we... Made our own scroll?"

She blinked. "Made our own scroll?"

"Yeah. You know... Made a fake Earth scroll."

"Are you crazy?" she asked incredulously. "We have no idea what would even be on them."

"But maybe we can figure it out. From our own scroll," Naruto explained. "We can always reseal it."

"I don't know... And besides, we were told not to open them."

"Our time is almost up. This might be our only chance. I mean, it's worth a try, isn't it," he asked.

She tapped the knife contemplatively against the dead fish. Part of her encouraged to give it a try. She wanted to win, didn't she? She wondered if this was the other Sakura that Sasuke and Naruto had met. "Let me... Let me just get breakfast cooking and I'll check if we even have the supplies for a stunt like this."

Sasuke, meanwhile, was following the stream while studying the shade of the nearby trees. Most of the plants of the forest didn't carry much in the way of fruit. It made gathering food a challenge, which he suspected was part of the point. Teams who hadn't properly prepared would need to invest time in foraging, and with the way they had announced things, most teams had only brought food for a day or two.

Suddenly he heard yelling, not far from where he was. His eyes narrowed. It sounded like someone was in trouble. And that meant an opportunity to get a scroll.

He looked over his shoulder, briefly contemplating going back and getting the others, but he had already covered a fair bit of distance. In the time it would take to get his teammates, the scroll could be long gone. He decided to gamble and hurry towards the sound..

He slipped through the trees and the undergrowth, eyes and ears peeled for the slightest hint of another team.

And then he heard talking.

Slowing down, he creeped closer, spotting a rocky clearing between the trees. He counted four people. Two were lying on the ground, possibly wounded, unconscious or even dead. Two others were standing there, talking. One was a ninja dressed in a brown and black shirt.

The other was Kabuto.

Sasuke dared to creep closer.

"...came back, they were both like this," the unknown ninja explained.

"They do seem rather out of it," Kabuto noted, crouching down next to one of them. "They're still alive, but... Hmm."

He did something, though Sasuke couldn't quite see what from his perspective.

"Seems to be some sort of powerful jutsu. Practically speaking, they're in a coma," the bespectacled noted. "I certainly don't have the means to fix this. Now, about your scroll..."

Sasuke leapt from the bushes, blade drawn. "If they have a scroll," he began. "I'll take it."

The unknown ninja had jumped back, arms raised. "Sasuke?"

"You know me?"

"I'd be surprised if anyone in Konoha didn't know you," Kabuto remarked, still investigating the bodies. "Anyway, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this scroll is no good to anyone."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

The bespectacled ninja stood up and revealed an unfurled Heaven scroll, blackened with ash. "It's utterly ruined."

"I see." He sheathed his blade, then turned his attention to the other ninja. "What happened?"

"My name's Shiitake," the ninja explained. "We had set up camp and I'd asked my teammates to rest up while I went looking for food. But then I heard them scream. When I came back, they were like this. And then Kabuto showed up."

"And how do you know he didn't do it?" Sasuke inquired.

"I suppose you don't. But if I was after the scroll, wouldn't I already have left?" the bespectacled ninja remarked. "There would be little point in me standing around helping."
"Alright. I'll believe you. For now," the Uchiha scion remarked. "So, what do you make of this?"

"Judging from the supplies they'd taken out of their backpacks, I'd say they were probably attempting to forge a fake Earth scroll," Kabuto remarked. "Probably made desperate by the looming deadline, I'd wager. I guess the scroll has some sort of defence measure. Knocked both of them out and made the scroll useless."

"Well, that was stupid," Sasuke remarked. "Who'd do something that...?" He paused, eyes widening.

"You okay?" Shiitake asked.

"He wouldn't be so... They would not..." he said looking back. "Oh, he would." Then he set off back the way he came. He rushed through the trees, across the rocks along the stream, as fast as his legs could handle. He spotted the smoke of their campfire, praying to the Sage with every step that his teammates wouldn't do something that completely braindead.

"Okay, so if we just carefully break the seal..." came Naruto's voice.

Sasuke accelerated.

He leapt, his hand descending like a falcon diving for its prey, snatching the scroll from the blond's hands.

"Who, what, what are..." the jinchuuriki began, shocked at the ninja's sudden reappearance.

"What. Are. You. Doing?" Sasuke hissed, holding the scroll away from him as if Naruto was about to leap for it to undo the seal. "Have the both of you lost your minds? Sakura, you're supposed to reign him in, not support his stupid ideas."

"Ehm, well, I..." the pink-haired girl tried.

"Hey, what's got you so snippy," Naruto began, arms crossed. "I'm just trying to..."

"I know exactly what you're trying to do," Sasuke cut him off. "And I just came back from seeing what happened to another team that tried the same stupid stunt."

"He's right, you know," Kabuto noted, as he and Shiitake approached, each carrying an unconscious genin. "The teachers have already thought ahead. You unravel the scroll now, it's gotta put you down and self-destruct."

"Oh," Naruto muttered. "Well, uhm..." He coughed forlornly. "Thanks, Sasuke."

The raven-haired ninja exhaled in frustration and shoved the scroll into his backpack. "Next time you have a bright idea, think it through, if you're even capable of that."

Naruto frowned.

"Hey, it's my fault too," Sakura said, patting her blond teammate on the shoulder. "I should have said something."

"You should. Preferably something other than 'great idea'," Sasuke remarked, as he sat down. "And no, I did not find any extra food. I was too busy preventing you two from blowing the mission."

"Yeah, I can imagine," she mumbled.

"Awkward," Shiitake muttered.

"So, I take it the scroll hunt is not going that well," Kabuto remarked, as he sat down with them. "Do you want some help?"

"Help?" Sasuke echoed suspiciously.

"Yes. Advice. Assistance even. I have an idea for how I can help you all secure your remaining scroll."

"Why are you helping us?" Naruto asked.

"Well, I know how rough these exams can be and... Well, I do like helping people," he noted. "I hope to become a medic once I advance in ranks."

Sasuke stared intently. Then he stood up, drawing his blade in the same motion, pointing it at Kabuto.

"Sasuke!" Sakura exclaimed surprised. "What are you...?"

"If you're offering to help us get a scroll, it can mean only one thing," the Uchiha scion noted. "Your team already has both scrolls. And that means, you have the scroll we need."

Kabuto chuckled. "A smart deduction. And you're right, we do have both scrolls. In fact, I have both with me. And furthermore, me and my team split up to make our journey to the tower more inconspicuous. So I am rather vulnerable right now."

"Sasuke," Naruto said, standing up. "He's offering to help us."

"True. But taking the scroll from him would be a lot easier."

"But he..."

"He's not our friend, Naruto," Sasuke harshly rebuked him. "He's a rival. The enemy. The mission requires us to get a scroll, no matter how."

"True. Even killing each other is permitted," Kabuto said, as he stood up. "But Sasuke, if you were really as pragmatic as you claim, why challenge me openly? You could have waited for me to turn my back, safe and secure in our alliance, only to run me through from behind."

The raven-haired genin paused, suddenly looking uncertain.

"I think you're not as cold as you want or claim to be," the bespectacled ninja continued sympathetically. "You wanted to give me a chance to fight back. Make it fair, if you will. And I do appreciate that. But I'd rather not fight you if I can avoid it. Besides, your friends don't look that invested and I gotta be honest, neither do you. So, how about we work together instead? At least, you can trust that I have no reason to trick you. I'll even show you both scrolls, if it'll help."

There was a moment of tense silence.

"Fine," Sasuke muttered, sheathing the weapon and sitting down. "How's the fish?"

"Oh, almost done," Sakura said, suddenly realising she had been holding her breath. "Do you two want any?"

"Why, yes. They do look delicious," Kabuto noted, as he too sat down. "Shiitake, what will you do now?"

"Well, my team is pretty much out," he replied. "I gotta get these two to one of the gates."

"Sounds sensible. Best of luck."

"You mentioned you had an idea," Sasuke noted tersely.

"Yes. But it would be a shame to let your food go cold," he replied, accepting one of the fish from Sakura. "So I'll tell you once we get moving again."

...

"So," Sasuke began, as the four of them wandered through the forest. "What's this plan of yours?"

"Well, when we all started, a lot of groups just ran into each other," Kabuto explained.

"Boy, did we ever," Sakura mumbled.

"But, as groups got either eliminated or secured enough scrolls to get through, the number of teams drastically dwindled," the bespectacled ninja continued. "Making it harder and harder to find others by chance."

"Yeah. We haven't seen any other group for days," Naruto added.

"Exactly. Now then, here's where we get into the fun part. All participants know the rules and know that everyone else know the rules."

"Yeah?" Naruto slowly asked. "And?"

"And that affects how the teams will act," Sakura noted. "Since they know what the other teams' motivation will be."

"Correct," Kabuto confirmed. "We are all looking for two scrolls to the tower. So, as the odds of running into each other decreases..."

"Then people will move towards the tower," Sasuke filled in.

"Ah, because everyone has to get to the tower to win," Naruto noted.

"And even if you've lost your scroll, taking down a team with two can turn things completely around," the Uchiha affirmed.

"But it's not just that, is it?" Sakura guessed. "We're not just after the winners. Any other group still hunting for scrolls could still have the scroll we need."

"Exactly," Kabuto replied, pushing some bushes aside to make passage. "So, we have both the groups who have the scrolls and the groups lacking scrolls, either partially or completely. In fact, some of them might not even be interested in hunting other winners."

"Why's that?" Naruto asked. "They'd have both scrolls."

"Because if you only need one scroll, it might be easier to take down another weaker team," Sakura noted. "If a team has two scrolls, odds are they beat someone successfully."

"Even if you have no scrolls, might be safer to hunt down two unsuccessful teams weaker than your own," Sasuke remarked. "If you have the time for it."

"Furthermore, some groups with two scrolls might be out hunting as well," Kabuto added.

"Wouldn't they just want to get to the tower as soon as possible?" Naruto asked.

"Not necessarily. Some might want extra scrolls to bargain with, in case they run into other strong teams. Others just want to cut down on the competition in the next rounds," the bespectacled ninja elaborated. "Or they might want extra scrolls to hand out to other teams in their village. The more of a single village's teams that get through, the more impressive they'll seem."

"Even if we're not supposed to be allies," Sasuke remarked. "Then again, it's what you're doing."

"True," he admitted. "But for me, it's not about making Konohagakure look good. I've been through a couple of these and... Well, it's rough for new genins." His expression became a bit more sombre. "Fatal even. So when I heard you were struggling, I just had to help. Would probably have done so, even if you had been from a different village."

"That's nice of you," Naruto said with a big grin.

"Of course you'd approve," Sasuke replied, rolling his eyes.

"What of it?"

"That you're way too soft-hearted for a ninja."

"Oh, well, you too hard-hearted."

"I'm a ninja. We're both ninjas. We're supposed to be."

"Yeah, well, maybe not as much as you. You wanted to abandon Tazuna, but the Hokage said I was right."

"That's not at all what he said, you idiot."

"You're such a spirited bunch," Kabuto chuckled.

"A bit too spirited," Sakura sighed, as what she was starting to realize was the 'other Sakura' encouraged her to kick her companions over the shins.

...

By the time the team had closed in on the tower, the sun had sunken below the horizon. The cloudless skies allowed the moon to shine down, but even so the thick canopies kept most of the land swathed in darkness.

"So," Sasuke began, as they halted. "What's the next step of your plan?"

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, we have two options," Kabuto noted, adjusting his glasses. "We either attract a team or go looking for one."

"Attract them? Like, make a lot of noise?" Naruto asked. "That's probably the easiest."

"But we don't get the luxury of picking our fight if we do," Sakura cautioned him.

"I know. But we only have so much time."

Sasuke was quiet for a moment. "You both have a point," he remarked. "There are teams that would be... Difficult to deal with. But at the same time, we can only take so long."

"Then... We still have half a day or so," Sakura began. "Maybe we can start searching and if that fails... Well, then we can make a racket."

"I think that's a great idea," Naruto added.

"Hmm, I don't see any problems with it either. Or do you have an issue?" Sasuke pointedly asked, turning his head to look at Kabuto.

"Me? Not at all. I think it's a good idea. Best of both worlds," he said. "But if you want to start out by searching, we better get moving."

"We should probably try to stay within a certain range of the tower," Sakura noted, reaching into her backpack. "I think if we..." A kunai suddenly flew by her head, striking into the bushes behind her with a dull thud.

"Ehm, sorry," Naruto said forlornly, lowering his hand. "I, ehm, thought I heard something."

"Did you now?" Sasuke mumbled, as he walked over to the spot the other ninja had aimed at. "Well, turns out you did."

"Oh. Good. I was afraid I... Ehm, oh." Naruto stared at the three meter long and now very dead centipede impaled on a tree trunk. "I see."

Sakura exhaled. "And here I though we were about to be ambushed again."

"Indeed. Shall we get going?" Sasuke asked, turning around.

"What, no funny comments?" Naruto inquired, eyebrow raised.

"Last time you heard something, it was Zabuza," the Uchiha scion replied. "So no, I'd rather have you be on guard."

"Oh. Uhm, thanks."

"Well, it is nice to see you two get along," Sakura noted. "Now then, I've tried to create an optimal search pattern that covers as much terrain as fast as possible."

"Then let's get started, shall we?" Kabuto said, as the group turned to leave.

They began slowly following the plan, quietly making their way through the dark forest. They avoided clearings where the moonlight could pierce through and overgrowth that would make too much noise.

"It's very quiet," Naruto remarked.

"There is always the chance that we are the last team around," Sakura remarked.

"If that's the case," Sasuke noted, eyeing Kabuto. "We'll still have one shot left."

"And I'll gladly let you take it," he replied. "But lets at least wait until dawn, shall we?"

"Wait, I think I see someone up ahead," Naruto whispered, holding up a hand for emphasis. "I see... Two of them. Sleeping?"

Sasuke slowly moved closer, before commenting: "Not sleeping. Dead."

The bodies of the two genin were entangled in the greenery, their bodies riddled with wounds.

The group went quiet at the sight.

"This," Kabuto sighed. "This is why I wanted to give you a hand. Looks like they were from Kusagakure, if I have to judge from the headbands. By the state of their bodies I'd say they've been dead for about a day or two."

"That... Could have been us," Sakura remarked with a frown. "Seems so... Unnecessary."

"Ninja life is dangerous," Sasuke responded indifferently.

"Well, yeah, but, you know, this is just a test," Naruto insisted. "We don't have to kill each other."

"And for all you know, they tried to kill another team who turned the tables on them," he replied with a glare. "You don't know them or what happened. They were ninja too."

"Still..."

"Whatever the case, we can't do anything for them now," Kabuto said, shaking his head. "Other than inform the staff so their bodies can be retrieved as soon as possible."

They continued onwards, a sombre mood settling over them.

Naruto found himself following the others almost mechanically, deep in thought. He couldn't deny that Sasuke had a point. He didn't know who they were or what they did. Maybe they were like himself and had been nice people. Or maybe they had been jerks. But it still struck him as somewhat pointless. He thought back to some of his own missions. He remembered Jako and what Sasuke had said. That the moment they took on that mission was the moment everyone agreed that the stupid golden idol was worth their lives. So maybe there was a point to the test allowing the ninja to outright kill each other. He frowned, unsure what to make of it all, except that it left a bad taste in his mouth. Looking up, he searched for something to distract himself with.

And he found it.

"Uhm, Sakura," he began. "How long until we've been all the way around the tower?"

Sasuke sighed. "We've just begun searching. Have some patience for once."

"Well, I mean, then what's up with that?" the blond asked and pointed.

The raven-haired shinobi looked, then paused, before muttering: "Naraka."

The centipede from before was there, nailed to the tree.

"Genjutsu," Sakura muttered. "Somebody has spotted us."

"And they were going to have us walk in circles for hours no doubt," Kabuto noted, as the four of them grouped up back to back.

"What do we do now?" Naruto asked.

"We've spoiled their plan," Sasuke replied. "So now, they either have to retreat or try something else." He drew his blade. "Be ready."

"Gotcha," Naruto replied, drawing his tekkan.

"I see something moving," Sakura informed them. "There's one... Three... Five of them?"

"And I'm seeing at least six over there," Kabuto added.

Out from the trees staggered several ninja, dressed in black bodysuits and with gas masks connected to tanks on their back.

"It's an entire army," Naruto commented nervously.

"It's gotta be a genjutsu of some sort," Sasuke remarked, eyeing their enemies. "Sakura, anything?"

"No. If it's an illusion, it's very well made," she remarked.

One of the stumbling ninjas withdrew a kunai, throwing it in the very same motion.

Naruto jerked his head back to avoid it. "Well, that seemed real enough." He withdrew one of his own and returned fire.

The blade plunged into the chest of the ninja and exited out their back in a spray of black liquid. The figure stumbled and collapsed into a puddle.

"Yes, I think I... Uhm..." The blond paused as the puddle reformed and rose up again. "What's with these guys?"

Sasuke swung his blade, knocking a kunai out of the air with the flat side. "Could they be shadow clones?"

"Shadow clones go puff. That one was more of a, well, squelch."

The raven-haired ninja frowned. "I hate how that's actually relevant."

"But if they're something like a water or mud clone, the one who produced them must have chakra on par with Naruto at the very least," Sakura remarked. "Even someone like Zabuza only maintained one at the time because of how much of a drain they are."

The blond paused, reflecting on her words.

Kabuto dodged another projectile. "Well, we better figure it out fast," he replied. "I think they're just sizing us up."

"Well, if they want to size me up, they can certainly try," Naruto said, folding his hands and concentrating, pumping chakra into his technique. He could feel his breathing growing laboured and his pulse skyrocketing as he strained himself, willing a dozen clones into existence. He immediately felt a wave of fatigue wash over him.

"Take a breath, Main," one of clones said, drawing his own weapon. "You sound like you need it."

The blond ninja tried to respond, but found himself completely breathless, his vision blurring slightly as he collapsed on his knees.

"Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I... I just..." he gasped, digging his fingers into the ground. "Give me a moment."

Sasuke scowled. "It's that seal," he commented. "Normally, the idiot would still be bouncing around like a grasshopper."

"Seal?" Kabuto echoed.

"We ran into problems. Let's just leave it at that."

"How troublesome."

Despite the main Naruto's exhaustion, his clones tore into their enemies. One of the black-clad ninjas got their head caved in, while another had their throat lacerated with a kunai. Yet despite this, they rose again and again, striking back at the clones with their own attacks.

Sakura focused, trying to see through the trickery. A flicker caught her eyes and she focused. For just a second, she saw another person, rising out of the ground, arms moving to throw a kunai. The movement was mimicked by one of the ninjas in black.

One of the clones yowled, as the kunai struck his upper arms.

"It is an illusion," Sakura realised. "A very well-made one at that. And it's covering for them and their attacks. But..."

"But what?" Sasuke asked.

"But it's so complex that it's also very difficult to maintain. With Naruto's clones they have to actively simulate the reactions to so many attacks, it's no doubt taxing the illusionist immensely." She slapped a kunai aimed at her aside. "Normally, I'd suggest he use more clones. But he's clearly at his limit."

The blond chuckled, as he slowly forced himself up. "Who... Who said I'm at my limit?"

"You can barely stand," Sasuke noted. "Take a nap already while we figure out what to do."

"Nah. You need a few more clones," he hoarsely remarked, folding his fingers. "I'll give you a few more clones."

"Naruto, you risk getting yourself killed," Sakura admonished him.

He paused, then smiled. "Well... That's what we do... Right?"

She paused with an uncertain expression on her face.

"The moment we came here... To this forest... We were risking our lives. To become better ninja. Isn't that right, Sasuke?"

"Finally getting it, are you?" the Uchiha mumbled, before stating out loud: "We need this illusion disrupted. Hit them as hard as you can, Naruto. I'll use my sharingan to spot them and counter-attack the real foes. Sakura, be on guard. They may attempt to take out Naruto to get rid of the clones. And you said you wanted to be a medic, Kabuto?"

"Yes."

"Then make sure that buffoon doesn't kill himself with this stunt."

Sakura bit her lip, as she watched Naruto focus again, praying to the Sage that her teammate wasn't going to give himself a heart attack.

The jinchuuriki could feel his entire body protest the action. It was like every muscle in his body cramped. His head buzzed, his lungs hurt, his heart pounded. Pearls of sweat rained from his forehead. He wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep. And yet, he pushed on, willing his jutsu to work.

With a series of puffs, another dozen clones manifested. There was no banter or arguing, as they with a series of roars launched themselves in every direction, backing up the other clones.

Naruto exhaled, then fell forward, his knees buckling.

Kabuto immediately grabbed him. "It's okay, I got..." He paused, as the blond vomited. "Alright, let's see. Pulse erratic, pupils dilated, breathing in gasps, heavy sweating. Yeah, he's at risk of going into shock. Let's just get you down on the ground. Sakura, keep my back clear while I get him hydrated."

Sasuke meanwhile focused his chakra into his eyes, willing the sharingan to activate. Every detail of the battlefield sharpened, even cleared as his eyes took in extra light. His gaze swept across the skirmish and as he did, he began noticing things. Small errors in the illusion, such as sprays of fluid looking off or movement happening in erratic jitters. And they were becoming more and more frequent.

The genjutsu user was no doubt pushed just as hard as Naruto was. That in of itself would force their foes to change tactics.

A flash of movement caught his attention. A kunai. It struck one of the clones in the stomach, sending him collapsing to the ground with a groan.

The raven-haired shinobi followed the trajectory, catching a glimpse of the assailant as they sank into the ground.

Brown suit, canister, gasmask. Similar to the clones. And exactly like the guy who had attacked them when the test started.

As Sasuke watched the ground shift ever so slightly to accommodate the ninja beneath the surface, a strategy formed in his mind. The illusion did not cover him while he was underground, probably because they figured he was hidden anyway. But if Sasuke attacked, he'd no doubt feel him coming, giving away that Sasuke knew where he was. So what he needed to do was to throw him off the moment he attacked, then move in.

He focused and inhaled, feeling his chakra ignite in his mouth.

The ground shifted. The guy launched another attack on one of the clones, covered by the genjutsu.

But Sasuke knew where he was.

He exhaled, launching a blast of flames. They struck true, resulting in a scream of pain and shock.

The Uchiha scion wasted no time, rushing forward to capitalize on the moment. He jumped, swinging his leg as he did.

Still recovering from the burst of fire, the ninja had no time to react before Sasuke's foot collided with their face. They stumbled back, the impact only slightly mitigated by their mask.

Sasuke did not relent, drawing his blade, cutting the nozzle connecting to the air tank with one smooth move. He swung again, slicing into his opponent's thigh. The enemy shinobi sagged as they reflexively clutched the bleeding gash, only for Sasuke's knee to slam up into their jaw. They fell on their back, whereupon Sasuke's leg slammed down on their mid-section, forcing the air from their lungs.

Naruto, meanwhile, felt like the entire glade was spinning. He was only barely able to accept the water Kabuto offered. Still, the liquid felt refreshing running down in his throat, filling his stomach with a soothing cool.

And then a sound caught his attention. A faint, but noticeable grinding sound.

And it was coming closer.

Even through the thick fog that clouded his mind, he realised what it was. One of the enemy ninja was coming right at them.

He tried to speak, but only a hoarse gurgle escaped his lips.

"Hm?" Kabuto responded, screwing the cap on the bottle. "Are you still... Thirst...?" He paused, studying the panicked glimpse in the blond's eyes and the direction he was looking in.

The ground exploded, as another masked ninja launched into the air. Focusing their chakra, they launched a boulder, aimed at the blond with enough force to crack his skull open. If he died, his clones went down with him.

Sakura spun, eyes wide.

Naruto stared at the projectile, unable to move.

With a thwack, it struck Kabuto, as the bespectacled shinobi jumped in the way, launching him backwards.

The attacking shinobi let himself fall, preparing to sink back into the earth.

A pair of hands locked hard around his ankle.

He looked down, only to meet Sakura's furious green eyes.

She turned, swinging the masked ninja, spinning around to build momentum as he yelled in a mixture of surprise and panic. With a final upward swing, she let him go, sending him spinning into the air. His limbs shot out, desperately grasping at branches and leaves for safety, while gravity slowly began returning him to the surface.

He looked down, only to see Sakura pulling her fist back.

She assumed from the way he flailed that he knew what would happen next. She could feel her other self smile. She threw her punch, slamming her knuckles into his midsection, folding his body around her arm. She could feel several ribs shatter around her fingers. The attacker went limp and fell to the ground.

Satisfied that he wouldn't attack her team again, she quickly rushed over to Kabuto. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. Well, no, my shoulder's broken," he replied with a wince. "But all things considered, quite fine."

Sasuke paused, his blade resting at the other ninja's throat. Seeing the situation with his team resolved, he eyed the ninja on the ground.

They held up their hands weakly, signifying surrender.

Sasuke nodded and looked around. The illusionary ninjas were fading, one by one, leaving only Naruto's cheering clones.

A slight rustle and the sound of heavy breathing caught his attention. Walking into the bushes, he found a third ninja, dressed like the rest. They were shaking and gasping, badly affected by expending too much chakra. Reaching into their backpack, they slowly withdrew a scroll, unsteadily handing it to Sasuke.

"Wise decision," he remarked and turned.

"Well?" Sakura asked, hoping the battle had been worth it.

"An Earth scroll," he responded. "We get to the tower, we move on."

"Then let's go. They both need medical attention," she replied, gently placing Naruto over her shoulders. "I assume you can walk, Kabuto?"

"Yeah. Fortunately, they didn't get my leg," he replied.

...

The sun cast its early rays over the land, bathing the walls of the tower in orange light.

"We made it," Sakura sighed in relief. "I really feared we were going to get jumped."

"Understandable," Sasuke agreed. "So, Kabuto, what will you do now?"

"Link up with my own team," he replied, his arm held in a sling he had gotten the Uchiha to help him make. "We planned to meet at sunrise by the tower. So they should be around here somewhere. So I'll bid you all goodbye."

"Goodbye then. And..." Sasuke paused. "And thanks for the help."

"Yeah, if you hadn't been there, Naruto might have gotten seriously injured," Sakura added.

"You're both welcome." He waved and turned, leaving the trio alone.

"Hey, Naruto, how are you feeling?" the pink-haired shinobi inquired.

"Ugh..." he groaned. "I... I can walk now."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

She gently let him down, letting him support himself against her shoulder, his legs shaky. "Come on, lets get inside."

"Agreed. We're still exposed out here," Sasuke responded, pushing open a pair of doors.

Inside was a great hall, red pillars holding up the ceiling. The floor was of hard stone, each step they took echoing in the room. And in front of them on the wall was a large plaque.

Naruto squinted. "What... Does it say?"

Sasuke eyed him for a moment, before reading aloud: "If you want your mind to fly higher, it is heaven you must desire. If instead your body lacks worth, you must build your foundation in the earth."

"Oh," Naruto mumbled. After a prolonged pause, he added: "I don't get it."

"Doubt you would even if fully awake," Sasuke commented.

"In the teachings of the Sage of Six Paths, earth symbolises your body and heaven your mind," Sakura explained. "So essentially what it's saying is that you must learn to identify your weaknesses and then work towards strengthening them."

"Sound advice after a challenge like this," the raven-haired shinobi opined. "Which means it's time to open the scrolls then."

The two others nodded.

Moments later, they had pulled the scrolls from their backpacks.

"Ready?" Sakura asked, holding the Heaven scroll.

"Ready," Sasuke responded, holding the Earth scroll.

Simultaneously, they ripped the seals and unfolded the scrolls.

There was a flash of light and smoke. And when it dissipated, a newcomer had joined them.

"Hey, guys," Iruka said, raising his hand.

"Iruka," Naruto wheezed happily. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to finish the test. And I'm really glad to see you guys alive." He eyed Naruto concernedly. "Though you look like you've been through the wringer."

"More than that," Sakura said. "Iruka, listen, we were attacked by someone named Orochimaru."

Iruka's eyes widened. "So he went after you," he commented, rubbing his chin with a worried gesture.

"You knew?" Naruto asked.

"Well... This is confidential, but you've been involved and deserve to know," he replied. "At some point, we realised that one of the teams were working under a false identity. Anko went in after them and confirmed that it was Orochimaru. Said he was running an experiment."

Sasuke's hand immediately went to his neck.

"We weren't sure what it was. The Hokage and the council decided to not interrupt the test, though we've increased patrols and observations of course." He refocused on them. "What did he do?"

"We're not sure. Something to Naruto that's left him weaker every day," Sakura explained. "And something else to Sasuke. It left a sort of... Mark. At one point it grew and... Sasuke became... Well..."

"Someone else," the raven-haired shinobi stated, a slight quiver in his voice betraying his discomfort. "It was like another person took over my body. It only happened once, but.."

"I see. You'll be sent to a medical team anyway, but I'll make sure to inform them of this." Iruka folded his arms. "Unless the experts decide that any of these things endanger the exam or the village, then no one can decide this for you. But if I were you, I'd reconsider partaking in the last part of the exam."

"You want us to quit?" Sasuke asked, eyebrow furrowed.

"I'm just concerned. If Orochimaru has gotten his hands on you... Well, I don't know much about that man. It's not something I have clearance for," Iruka explained. "His experiments are infamous. And I have even seen some of the results myself. Who knows what he has done to you."

"But... Iruka..." Naruto began.

"I know. As I said, it's your decision. And you don't have to make it now," he explained. "Look, first things first, you all need to get examined by our medics. And then you'll be sent to one of the tower's apartments to rest until the next exam."

"Which is when?" Sakura asked.

"Tomorrow, at dawn."

"That's not a lot of time to rest."

"I know. Consider it a, well, penalty for taking so long to get through."

"Anko's idea no doubt," Sasuke remarked. "And why stay at one of your apartments?"

"I can't say too much, but you are to enter the next part of the exam only with the information you've gathered during this part," he explained. "So this is to prevent you and the other teams from talking for now. Anyway, follow me. Our on-site medics have a room above."